Official Journal of the European Union

Series C

C/2023/1168

4.12.2023

(Case T-597/23)

(C/2023/1168)

Language of the case: French

Parties

Applicant: Syndicat de défense et de Promotion des charcuteries corses AOP ‘Salameria de Corsica’ (Aleria, France) (represented by: T. Lachacinski and F. Fajgenbaum, lawyers)

Defendant: European Commission

Form of order sought

The applicant claims that the Court should:

—declare that it has jurisdiction;

—declare admissible the Syndicat’s application for annulment of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/1546 (1) of 26 July 2023 entering a name in the register of protected designations of origin and protected geographical indications ‘Pancetta de l’Ile de Beauté / Panzetta de l’Ile de Beauté’ (PGI), ‘Saucisson sec de l’Ile de Beauté / Salciccia de l’Ile de Beauté’ (PGI), ‘Bulagna de l’Ile de Beauté’ (PGI) and ‘Figatelli de l’Ile de Beauté / Figatellu de l’Ile de Beauté’ (PGI);

—annul Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/1546 of 26 July 2023 entering a name in the register of protected designations of origin and protected geographical indications ‘Pancetta de l’Ile de Beauté / Panzetta de l’Ile de Beauté’ (PGI), ‘Saucisson sec de l’Ile de Beauté / Salciccia de l’Ile de Beauté’ (PGI), ‘Bulagna de l’Ile de Beauté’ (PGI) and ‘Figatelli de l’Ile de Beauté / Figatellu de l’Ile de Beauté’ (PGI);

—order the Commission to pay the costs.

Pleas in law and main arguments

In support of the action, the applicant relies on three pleas in law.

1.First plea in law, alleging infringement of Article 7(1)(a) of Regulation 1151/2012. (2) The applicant claims that the conditions for registering the four applications as protected geographical indications (PGIs) are not met because the name ‘Île de Beauté’ has not been put to genuine, long-term commercial use. According to the applicant, the Consortium des Charcutiers Corses has not provided any tangible evidence of use.

2.Second plea in law, alleging infringement of Article 7(1)(a), read in conjunction with Articles 10(1)(c) and 13(1)(b) of Regulation 1151/2012. The applicant claims that the name ‘Île de Beauté’ is unavailable and cannot be registered as a PGI.

3.Third plea in law, alleging infringement of the general principle of equal treatment enshrined in Articles 20 and 21 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. The applicant relies on the Commission’s rejection of the applications for registration of the names ‘Jambon sec de l’Île de Beauté’, ‘Lonzo de l’Île de Beauté’ and ‘Coppa de l’Île de Beauté’ as PGIs for Corsican charcuterie, due to the existence of three previous protected designations of origin for ‘Corsica’ charcuterie, and submits that there was no objective reason for the four applications for PGIs ‘Pancetta de l’Île de Beauté’, ‘Saucission sec de l’Île de Beauté’, ‘Bulagna de l’Île de Beauté’ and ‘Figatelli de l’Île de Beauté’, which also designate charcuterie products, to be treated differently.

(1) OJ 2023 L 188, p. 24.

(2) Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 November 2012 on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs (OJ 2012 L 343, p. 1).